Feeling very seen RN.

As tempting as it is to just power through the workday and take lunch at your desk, it’s really important to take a break, even if it’s for a few minutes. We spoke to accredited nutritionist Jacqueline Alwill as to why.  

I’ll admit, I’ve been guilty of the desk-lunch. Whether you’re on deadline or you have a presentation coming up, or maybe you’re just on a roll and you think stepping away from your computer will break your focus, it can be tempting to just power through without stepping away from your desk.

You can probably get away with this on occasion, but if you do it regularly it can be detrimental to many aspects of your health.

“The reality is that a break from your desk whether it’s for some fresh air or for your lunch can help to improve your mood, cognitive function, wellbeing, and health,” says accredited nutritionist Jacqueline Alwill, author and founder of The Brown Paper Bag.

“From a nutrition perspective, I always encourage people to step away from their desk for lunch so they engage with their food as they eat (without other distractions as well such as your phone), which supports the messaging between our brain and gut and signals satiety.”

From a nutrition perspective, I always encourage people to step away from their desk for lunch, says Alwill.

She adds: “All too often when people decide to eat at their desk, they find themselves hungry within an hour or needing another little pick-me-up (hi, Mars Bars) to get them through.”

There isn’t an exact science to how long the break should be, but Alwill says a minimum of 20 minutes should do it; from the time you grab or make lunch, sit down and actually eat it (rather than wolfing it down), and allow it to digest. But she encourages more if your schedule will allow.

For those who feel they don’t even have five minutes in the day to eat something, Alwill says that’ll come back to bite them eventually.

“Rather than eat a very light or no lunch because you feel you lack time, aim to eat something - even if just a half portion to ensure you're delivering essential nutrients to your body and, importantly, to your brain so it can function optimally,” she says.

“People who frequently skip meals tend to lean on more discretionary foods (high in refined sugars and carbohydrates) for energy and/or overeat at the next meal which can lead to digestive discomfort and further digestive issues too.”

So what constitutes the ideal lunch? A good balance of protein, complex carbohydrates, and healthy fats.

“When you use this approach, you tick a lot of boxes from both a macro and micronutrient (vitamins and minerals) perspective and that’s what will keep you energised throughout the afternoon,” says Alwill.

A combination of low-starch veggies like zucchini, cauliflower, or broccoli might pair well with brown rice, a protein like chicken or legumes, and top it all off with avocado, nuts or cheese.

“It’s incredibly easy to build a meal like this with simple ingredients and whip together a very balanced lunch in minutes,” she says.

Not sure what ingredients go together? Alwill has given us a delicious, easy recipe for lunch when you’re on the go.

Warming brown rice, spinach, walnut, and feta with baked tomatoes bowl

Serves 2

Gluten-free, vegetarian

Ingredients

1x 250g pack Sunrice Microwave Brown Rice

200g cherry or baby truss tomatoes

2 cups (44g) baby spinach leaves, firmly packed

2 teaspoons freshly chopped dill leaves

2 tablespoons freshly chopped basil leaves

4 tablespoons (44g) walnuts, roughly chopped

100g cooked chickpeas

40g feta

Sea salt and black pepper

Method

1. Heat oven to 200C, line a baking tray with greaseproof paper, place tomatoes on the tray, and pop a small cut in each to help them cook faster. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes so they’re lovely and juicy*.

2. Cook the Sunrice Microwave Brown Rice sachet for 90 seconds in the microwave and set it aside to keep warm.

3. Then pop the baby spinach in a bowl with a few drops of water, cover (covering is important as we need to create a steam effect) and cook for 2 minutes until it wilts. Once cooked, squeeze some of the water out of the spinach, then toss in a bowl with brown rice, fresh chopped dill and basil, walnuts, chickpeas, feta and season with sea salt and black pepper. Divide between 2 plates, top with tomatoes and enjoy.

*If you can’t oven bake the tomatoes or are preparing this dish at your work office, you can simply pop the tomatoes in with the spinach and then microwave together. You won’t require any water for the spinach with this method as the tomatoes provide enough liquid to help the cook process. Ensure you cover the bowl of spinach and tomatoes prior to microwaving to create the steam/cook effect.